In a joint letter addressed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, the leaders of religious communities in Albania (H. Skënder Bruçaj, head of the Muslim Community; Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana-Durrës and all Albania (Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania); Msgr. Gjergj Meta, General Secretary of the Albanian Bishops’ Conference (Catholic Church); H. Dede Edmond Brahimaj, of the World Bektashi Headquarters and Pastor Ylli Doçi, chairman of the Evangelical Alliance of Albania) appealed for a positive decision on opening accession negotiations with Albania.
The letter was handed on Tuesday (19 June) to Albania’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ditmir Bushati by the leaders of these communities at a meeting at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The handing of the letter was done by the oldest in office and age of the four religious leaders, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios, who was accompanied in this meeting by Bishop Asti of Bylis.
“You have given the most meaningful example that we are Europeans and now is the right moment for each of us to follow this example,” said Bushati.
The statement states:
“At this moment of great historical significance, we wish to underscore once again what we recently stated in our joint declaration of 21 April 2018: we Albanians are part of Europe.
We are part of a history that stretches back to the origins of Europe. It is a history which goes back thousands of years. Our common cultural and social roots bind us together. We believe that our path towards the EU represents what has always been the desire of our people, with the values of a free society where everyone is able to exercise their rights, among which the right of freedom of religion and belief is fundamental. We are grateful that the history of the Albanian people has revealed a consistent living-out of the value of respect for religious difference, living together harmoniously as one family.”
The letter goes on: “Our path toward the EU is especially critical for our youth. Albanian young people are among the most Euro-enthusiastic anywhere, and yet they are also among the most frustrated, as they live in close proximity to their European peers and yet are excluded from their peers’ opportunities. Your support to Albania’s accession process is particularly important at this critical time, when the values of tolerance, solidarity and human rights are under great pressure because of radicalism, fanaticism, and other sinister ideologies. We together call upon you to recognize the earnest desire of all Albanians, and to support our irreversible commitment to Albania as part of Europe. We reaffirm our commitment to remain steadfast supporters of European values for society with freedom, justice and prosperity for all.”
